I won't say who wrote this to the FML or in which recent digest it
appeared:
>would think that organized groups of advocates for ferrets would be
>doing more in the area... these groups aren't doing all that I believe
>can be done
 
One of the realities of anyone who volunteers for anything is that there
are always also people who assume that you should take on more tasks,
even if you simply don't have the ability to do so.  I am NOT in the
group(s?) referred to above, nor do I know their circumstances.  I DO
know, though, how it feels to work a huge number of hours every day of
the week to help ferrets and then have someone write to me telling me
what else I should do!  Useful suggestions to help with projects already
undertaken are one thing, but those "suggestions" which would mean that
I have no time for my family, no time for my other work and
responsibilities, and no time to sleep instead wind up with me replying
(if it is good idea), "Good Idea!  I wish you luck in pursuing it since I
have no time to spare.  Here are three tips to start you off!" then I
tell the person how to start.
 
***** Luckily, that often IS the needed solution when time just does not
let an already busy volunteer follow-up.  That little push in the right
direction has added some wonderful ferret volunteers to the helpful
ferret community.  Maybe it will today, too!  *****
 
After all, anyone with a good enough brain to make a decent suggestion
about what else is needed also has the intelligence to get into a deeply
learning mode and then tackle the added job herself or himself -- it just
takes time and commitment which are two of things that person was asking
of the existing volunteers, anyway, so should be willing to give himself
or herself (since it is always best to not ask of another what you would
not give yourself).
 
Three tips for those who are suggesting more work for the already
exhausted, and could instead tackle those jobs themselves:
 
Use links sites like the critical references in
http://ferretcongress.org
http://www.trifl.org/medical.shtml
 and
http://www.fothferrets.com/ferretinfo.html
to help you learn
 
Also use archives like
http://listserv.cuny.edu/archives/ferret-search.html
 and
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
 
Be polite; you would be amazed how much better that works than anger
almost always.
 
Check yourself; you are human and you could be wrong.
 
I do NOT think that such suggestions are made due to anything usurious.
I think that there is just a NAIVE assumption often out there that those
who already are up to their necks in ferret volunteer work are also the
ones who can best tackle any project.  Perhaps in some ways that is true,
so some projects may be best done by JOINING THE ORGANIZATION AND
VOLUNTEERING FOR THE PROJECT.  That way, the best of all worlds comes
into play.  Other times people can just do their own homework and go
from there.
 
There certainly is more than enough work out there!
[Posted in FML issue 4887]